Sjsu m4_mh_sep2018

1. Movies for
Mental Health
San José State University
Tuesday, September 25th
@artwithimpact
#Movies4MentalHealth

2. Here’s the Plan
• Quick Introduction
• Setting the scene together
• Mental Health
• Stigma
• Watch and discuss films
• Panel of students and resources
#Movies4MentalHealth

3. Brought to you by…
• Monthly short film competition
• Campus workshops
• Global community
• Mental Health Services Act (2004)
• 1% tax on people earning >$1m/year
• 25% to prevention and early intervention
#Movies4MentalHealth

4. Where were you right before
coming to the workshop?
#Movies4MentalHealth

5. Heads Up
• Mental health is personal – YOU are the expert on
your own experience
• Public space – no confidentiality
• It’s okay to feel!
• Films and conversations might be triggering
• Please take care of yourself however you need,
including asking for help
#Movies4MentalHealth

6. Mental Health
#Movies4MentalHealth

7. Mental Health
• Mental illness
• Mental wellness
#Movies4MentalHealth

8. Some movies and tv shows that
show mental illness…
Forrest Gump
Good Will Hunting
Beautiful Mind
Sixth Sense
13 Reasons Why
Split
The Good Doctor
Inside Out
Bojack Horseman
Pyscho
Dexter
Monk
Jane the Virgin #Movies4MentalHealth

9. Characters with mental illness
are portrayed as…
Geniuses/High IQ
Scary
Outcasts
Autistic
Flawed
Hopeless
“Crazy”
Manic Pixie Dream Girl
Weirdos
Obnoxious
Lazy
#Movies4MentalHealth

10. Stigma vs.
Stereotype
#Movies4MentalHealth

11. Stigma
•A judgment or stereotype that is:
• Always negative
• Always untrue
• Can be internalized
#Movies4MentalHealth

12. How does stigma feel?
Brutal
Bad
Unbearable
Upsetting
Tough
Guilty – take on responsibility of the stigma
Doubtful
Hopeless
Empty
Weak
Helpless
#Movies4MentalHealth

13. Purpose
By Victor Okoye
AWI Winner, December 2016
#Movies4MentalHealth

14. Discuss in groups of three…
• What did you think?
• What did you feel?
#Movies4MentalHealth

15. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
As college students, we’re
supposed to be in a routine –
need to find things that break
your routine and give you
hope
Forgetting – on autopilot
Beautiful how they incorporated
poetry
Good that there’s male
representation in mh – its okay
to have feelings as a man
Symbolic that he wakes up in
the first scene – everyday is
new day
Feelings
Felt an uplifting feeling at the
end – optimistic
Feel like we’re living in a cycle
Trapped – but felt happiness at
the end by enjoying
Cycle felt
intense/uncomfortable
Relatable – felt freshman year
was very repetitive
#Movies4MentalHealth

16. How did the filmmaking
techniques help tell the story?
Time lapse – gave the repetitive
feeling/passing time but still in the same place
Camera angles – in his face – his story – put us
in his shoes
Certain sounds – the microwave turning into a
ring – always something lingering – means life
is finite (Deep!)
The dog looked older
Zoomed out after he found photography –
moving on
Music signaled change
Smiling
Lighting changed to change mood#Movies4MentalHealth

17. Sal Tran
By Kim Huynh
AWI Winner, March 2018
#Movies4MentalHealth

18. Discuss in groups of three…
• What did you think?
• What did you feel?
#Movies4MentalHealth

19. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Intense
We have to do more to bring
people back – how to bring
positivity? – how do we
encourage everyone to
succeed?
Incentivize people
It’s not a linear line – it’s a roller
coaster – film gave that roller
coaster feeling
Don’t necessarily think a
person like that could have
PTSD
Feelings
Intense
Overwhelming
Tired seeing all they were
going through
#Movies4MentalHealth

20. Why don’t people get help?
You don’t think you need it – substance use is
normalized
They might know someone who was judged –
fear of judgment
Don’t know how to get help/overcome issues
Don’t know the tools
Think it will fade away
Family upbringing – “Men aren’t supposed to
have feelings/be abnormal”
Fear of invalidation
Society in general can be
unfriendly/unaccepting
#Movies4MentalHealth

21. Mia’s Story
By Vicki Kisner
AWI Winner, March 2017
#Movies4MentalHealth

22. What did you think? What did you feel?
Thoughts
Get so caught up with
everything – scene with her
being asked “How are you?” –
reminder – can stop noticing
how we’re feeling
Liked learning how to cope with
a bad day – not beating
herself up about it – can start
to think “when will depression
go away” vs. how to deal with
it
Felt like a commercial –
informative but relatable –
commercials for therapy?
Roller coaster
Very monotone at beginning –
more colorful at the end
Feelings
Relatable
Hope
Sadness
Felt disconnected at the
beginning – connecting with
characters experience
#Movies4MentalHealth

23. What can we do?
Talk more openly about our experiences
Recognize your limitations and acknowledge if
you need additional support
Get people to go to mh events
Listen
Change vocabulary – “brain health” v. “mental
health” – shift perspective and awareness
Recognize that jokes can be harmful
Using humor to cope
Paying attention to language and casual use of
words that can hurt people/diminish people’s
experience
Share knowledge #Movies4MentalHealth

24. Panel
#Movies4MentalHealth

25. Meet the Panel
Veena Velury
San José State University Student
Megumi Kamikawa
San José State University Student
Dr. Alexandria Gerrick, Psy.D.
Faculty Counselor & Outreach Coordinator,
Counseling and Psychological Services
Mego Lein, MPH, MIA
Suicide Prevention Manager,
Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services
#Movies4MentalHealth

26. Stay in touch!
Don’t forget to leave your name
and email on the sign-up sheet!
@artwithimpact
info@artwithimpact.org
#Movies4MentalHealth